THE singer Morrissey has prompted criticism from some fans after making a jibe at the First Minister during a concert in Scotland.
Performing at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow at the weekend, the former Smiths frontman asked concert-goers during a break between songs: “I am curious. Do any of you actually like Nicola Sturgeon?”
The 58-year-old musician, who backed a Leave vote in the European referendum, then added: “Those hands will be in anybody’s pocket.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon responds to concert attack by 'huge talent' Morrissey
His comments halfway through the Saturday night gig provoked a mix of cheers and boos, but fans disagreed about who they were directed against.
Some reported a number of people walked out, but others said they saw no-one leave.
Others wrote on Twitter that they had left following the comments.
One concert-goer suggested the singer may have been prompted by the First Minister’s anti-Brexit stance and strong criticism of Ukip.
Watt1 posted: “Never heard Nicola getting booed. But I did see people leaving after he said it. She’s obviously not kippy enough for him.”
Meanwhile, Willie Hmmm tweeted: “If I hadn’t paid so much for my ticket I’d been out the door with the dozen or so I saw leave in section J.”
But fan Nathan Sparling, an SNP member who was at the event, told The National: “Morrissey asked the question ‘does anyone here like Nicola Sturgeon?’ The general reaction was what anyone would expect which was a mix of cheers and then overwhelmingly, I would say, boos. And I don’t think that was directed at Morrissey.
“There was certainly no mass walk out. I was sitting quite centrally in the venue and I didn’t see anyone leave.”
Sparling said Morrissey was a complicated figure and while he was a fan of his music, he did not agree with his political views.
“I grew up listening to Morrissey. His music made my life easier as a young gay person growing up in the world and not knowing if I was meant to be gay,” he said.
“My feeling is is that he is very anti-establishment and perhaps, to him, the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon, have become establishment now. And that is an opinion which many people hold.”
Sparling said Morrissey didn’t talk about Brexit, but there were songs that were highly critical of former Tory Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as well ones which were anti-Labour and anti-monarchy.
He said one of the songs drew critical attention to police brutality with an accompanying video display showing scenes of police brutality in Catalonia following last year’s independence vote.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon responds to concert attack by 'huge talent' Morrissey
“I would say that the majority of people at his concert don’t agree with his politics but remember his great music,” added Sparling who said he enjoyed the concert and was glad to see Morrissey back on stage after recent health problems. Last year the singer cancelled a sold-out show in San Antonio, Texas, following health issues. In 2014 he revealed he had throat cancer and said in a later interview the treatment was “slowing” him down.
In October 2016 he hailed the UK-wide vote to leave the EU as “magnificent” and has previously told of his admiration for former Ukip leader Nigel Farage and how he almost voted for Ukip.
He previously backed the Yes campaign movement ahead of the independence referendum in 2014, saying Scotland needed to leave the “United King-dumb”.
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